NEW YORK - The Rev. Mark Arey, Communications Director for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America released this statement today regarding the false rumors about the tenure of His Eminence Archbishop Spyridon.

As a Church, we should not allow divisive forces to tear at the indivisible bonds between the Archdiocese and the Holy Mother Church of Constantinople. It is unconscionable for individuals to claim special knowledge of the inner workings of the Ecumenical Patriarchate by fabricating lies in order to scandalize the faithful. It is likewise utterly inconceivable for any reasonable person to believe that the most venerable synod in the Orthodox world would conduct its precious and holy work through a campaign of rumor, lies, or political gamesmanship. Those who purport to know the mind of the Phanar are obviously substituting their own self-interested agendas for responsible journalism. We must remember that the fabrication of the news is not the same thing as reporting the real news. I, for one, am gratified that the Ecumenical Patriarchate has remained above the fray, and has shown the utmost responsibility in not officially commenting on these baseless rumors and scandalous lies. It should be clear to even the most casual observer of Church affairs, that the whole purpose behind these rumors is to de-stabilize the relationship between the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Her daughter Church, the Holy Archdiocese of America. Let us all pray that these few individuals, who seek to repudiate the role of the Mother Church and foment schism in the Church, will be decisively rejected by the conscience of the vast and overwhelming majority of our faithful, who believe in our beloved Archbishop and honor the sacred person and role of the Ecumenical Patriarch as the spiritual leader of world Orthodoxy.

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